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Welcome to eWillys.com, a website for vintage jeep enthusiasts. I update this website nearly every day with jeep deals, jeep history, interesting reader projects, jeep related info, and more.
These quick searches can help you find things on eBay. People list in the wrong categories all the time, so don't be surprised to see brochures in the parts area for example. This section used to be split into jeeps, parts and other categories, but recent changes to eBay will require this information to be recoded.
The links to posts below show jeeps grouped by models, condition, and other ways. Some of these jeeps are for sale and others have been sold. If you are unsure whether a vehicle is still for sale or not, email me at d [at] ewillys.com for more info.
There are plenty of interesting, unusual, historic and surprising stories related to Jeeps and their owners. In addition, some of these features have nothing to do with jeeps. This link will display all featured stories starting from the latest.
Looking for parts and not sure where to go? There are a variety of large and small new and used parts sellers both online and offline.
Importantly, the allure of buying a project jeep can be romantic. The reality of restoring a jeep can be quite different, expensive and overwhelming without the right tools and resources. So, tread carefully when purchasing a "project". If you have any concerns about buying a vintage jeep, or run across a scam, feel free to contact me for help, comments or concerns .
This August 17th, 1948, ad for the Jeepster was published in the Sullivan Daily Times, out of Sullivan, Indiana.
Both of these ads from the Sullivan Daily Times, out of Sullivan, Indiana, cover the features of the jeep, but do so in slightly different ways. The March 18, 1947, ad focuses on the job-task utility aspects of the jeep, how consumers can use the jeep. The July 13, 1948, ad is less about what the jeep can do task-wise and more about what it can bring consumers beyond specific tasks, such as great mileage, physical comfort, and convenience. I have not studied other ads to see if this was a general trend in Jeep advertising (in other words, I do not know if this shift directed by Willys-Overland or something Citizen’s Garage did on their own).
These two photos were published in the Sullivan Daily Times on June 6, 1947, which was the three year anniversary of D-Day. One photo shows St. Lo, France, in the summer of 1944. The other, taken from about the same location, shows St. Lo in 1947. After wasting far too much time examine the town via Google Earth, my guess is that the bottom photo was take just below a castle near the victim’s memorial, pointed south with the La Vire River along the right hand side.
This June 3, 1947, ad published in the Sullivan Daily Times, out of Sullivan, Indiana, highlights the ability of the jeep to be an efficient, low-cost option as a road-service vehicle.
This July 08, 1947, article from the Sullivan Daily Times announced the upcoming arrival of the Jeep Caravan to the town of Sullivan, Indiana. It was one of four Jeep Caravans traveling the United State at the time.
The caravan consisted of eight jeeps. One was the CJ-2A fire jeep. Four other CJ-2As sported attachments, including an arc welder, a generator, a compressor, and a line of hydraulic lift implements. Based on the pic below, it looks like 2 wagons and a truck, brand new to the line-up in the summer of 1947, rounded out the caravan.
This July 09, 1947, article from the Sullivan Daily Times announcement was published the next day and featured the CJ-2A fire jeep.
This photo and caption appeared on the second page of the Daily Nebraskan on February 24, 1943.
UPDATE II: There are additional updates throughout as several folks suggested other drain holes in various bodies and windshields.
UPDATE: Barney Goodwin noted that MBs/GPWs also have drains on the gas tank sump, front and rear. He also shared some pics (thanks!). Also, some MB/GPW bodies had 3/8″ drain holes in the tool boxes (seem more here).
A couple months ago Chuck asked a question about drain holes, so I collected the information below. It’s hardly exhaustive, so if I’ve missed something, please comment. Also, I did not find any drain strategies for Wagons, Trucks, Jeepsters or FCs; did they have any interior drains? I’m also unsure if the prototype jeeps had drain strategies.
MBs & GPWs:
MBs and GPWs did have drain holes in the far left of the driver side and far right of the passenger side corners, stopped with brass plugs. There seems to be some debate about whether the plugs should have square tops or slotted tops. You can imagine it might not be easy to locate and remove a brass plug once the floor of an MB was full of dirt/mud/water. Here’s a photo of a square plug from G503 in the left corner of the floor:
Arrow points to the drain plug on the driver’s side of this MB.
Fun fact, the drain plug for the floor is reportedly the same size as the drain plug for the MB and GPW gas tank.
Here’s an example of the square plug alternative, a slotted plug. I would think this could be especially difficult to locate when filled with water/mud:
I didn’t know about the fuel tank sump drain holes (of course, on hindsight, it makes sense they’d have them). Barney Goodwin adds, “MB/GPWs had 2 large drains on the fuel tank sump to clear water out, especially after fording. They are basically a radiator cap and gasget without the temp pressure spring. Even the neck on the drain looks like a radiator neck. There was one fore and aft of the sump. It was especially important because there was felt or horsehair insulators between the tank and the body that would be prone to retain moisture and rust the tank if not maintained.”
CJ-2As/CJ-3As/CJ-3Bs/DJ-3As:
These jeeps had drain holes on the sides near the outside step on either side of the body. When purchasing a jeep, If the body is missing the drain hole, then it’s worth examining the body to see if it has been altered in some fashion. Sometimes the lack of drain hole is also a sign that the body is an M-38 or that the body is fiberglass.
Drain hole for CJ-2As, CJ-3As, CJ-3Bs, and DJ-3As.
UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.
That might be a 1947 Luzon Red CJ-2A. An early Auburn Jeep-A-Trench is mounted on the back. One of the fellows is wearing overalls with “Lincoln City Line, Inc.” (Bus/Transit Company) on the back, a company that was based in Lincoln, Nebraska. Meanwhile, Auburn Machine Works was based out of Auburn, Nebraska. So, I’d wager that this photo was taken somewhere in Eastern Nebraska, probably in 1947 or 1948.
The Burke-Schneider Motor Company out of Lincoln, Nebraska, was also involved in this event. The company had a Willys dealership, which explains the fellow in the center with his white overalls. As early as December of 1946 Burke-Schneider was advertising the new CJ-2A (perhaps earlier, but I have no evidence).
This is one I’ve bid on a few times, but never seem to get. At some point I will.
View all the information on eBay
“Vintage Willys Jeep Firetruck Brochure CJ2 CJ3 as pictured. Condition is Used. Shipped with USPS First Class Package. Thanks for looking. Let us know if you have any questions”
